1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a three-dimensional printing data generation device creating image data of a three-dimensional object, and a three-dimensional printing system including the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Three-dimensional printing devices creating a three-dimensional object are conventionally known. Such a three-dimensional printing device creates data (slice data) representing a three-dimensional object to be printed that is in a state of being sliced at a predetermined interval, sequentially forms cross-sectional models corresponding to the slice data, and stacks the cross-sectional models. Thus, the three-dimensional object is printed.
Known printing methods usable by a three-dimensional printing device include powder stack printing, thermal fusion stack printing, optical printing and the like. For example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2006-137173 discloses a three-dimensional printing device using a powder stack printing method. This three-dimensional printing device includes a printing table and a binder supply head. A top surface of the printing table is covered with a powder material to a thickness of a cross-sectional model corresponding to the slice data. Based on the slice data, the binder supply head injects a binder while appropriately moving with respect to the printing table. In an area to which the binder is injected, the powder material is selectively solidified. As a result, a powder material layer corresponding to the slice data is formed. When one powder material layer is formed, the printing table is lowered in a height direction of the printing table by the thickness of the cross-sectional model corresponding to the slice data. A space made by the downward movement of the printing table is supplied with the powder material. Such an operation is repeated to stack the powder material layers in the height direction of the printing table. Thus, a three-dimensional object having a desired shape is printed.
When the printing is finished by such a three-dimensional printing device, the three-dimensional object is buried in the powder material that has not been solidified. Therefore, the user needs to dig out the desired three-dimensional object from the unsolidified powder material. However, the user cannot accurately find the exact position in the powder material where the three-dimensional object is buried. This occasionally makes the operation of picking up the three-dimensional object time-consuming. In addition, while the user is searching for the three-dimensional object with no clue or is attempting to remove the unsolidified powder material in a hurry, the three-dimensional object is occasionally broken inadvertently.